Monday, 30 June 2014

Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Matthew 16:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 26-30

The Pharisees and the Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign to show that He was the coming Messiah (Matthew 16:1). Meanwhile the people requesting for a sign were doctors of law. They knew the scriptures like the back of their hands. Isaiah 7: 14 says therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. They knew a virgin conceived Jesus, they saw Him perform miracles, yet they wanted another sign just to tempt Him. When Jesus got to another part of town, He warned His disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees. Matthew 16:6 says then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. The disciples must have thought that, Jesus was warning them not to buy bread from a bakery owned by a Pharisees or Sadducees since they had no bread on them but Jesus meant something else.

When baking bread, one will mix flour, and water to form dough. After that, one will add yeast to the dough and the dough begins to rise. That yeast is what is called leaven. What yeast does is, it literally adds air to the dough. Leaven bread is usually big but empty inside. When Jesus was talking about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, he was comparing them to leavened bread, very big outside, but utterly empty inside. The Pharisees and Sadducees were full of public good works; they prayed aloud outside; they paid tithes even tithes of their vegetables (mint, anise, cumin, etc) and so on. Their public life was fantastic but their secret life was nothing to write home about. Outside in the presence of the whole world, they were full of activities – they prayed a lot, sang and danced in church , loved reading the bible during service, loved teaching , but inside their closet they don’t pray, they don’t sing praises to God, they rarely read their bible. There are some of us like the Pharisees, in the church, we are full of activities, we are so respectful and humble , so lovely and sweet, but at home and our places of work, we are terror. Let us look at some super cars e.g. Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari, McLaren, etc. What makes Bugatti Veyron a Bugatti Veyron is not the upholstery. What makes a Bugatti Veyron, a Bugatti Veyron is the engine that is locked out of sight. Although the upholstery, wing mirror, steering wheel, etc, are visible, the power (engine) behind the Bugatti is invisible. What makes one a genuine Christian is not public activities, but activities in the secret where no one is watching. Our spiritual lives are far more important than our physical lives. Romans 8:8 says so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Sunday, 29 June 2014

Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear; slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 20-25

In the head, we have the eyes, the ears, and the mouth. There is a reason why God put the ears at the sides and the eyes in the front. There is a reason why the eyes are above the mouth. He arranged them that way for a reason. Imagine if one had eyes at the sides, although one will be able to see opportunities lying around him, side distractions will also be inevitable. Let us imagine for a second that we have our eyes at the back, although we will be able to see the mistakes of our past and become wiser, we will never forget our past. To make progress in life, we need to forget our past and move ahead. To help man, God put his eyes in the front so he can focus more on his future not his past. He also put a neck under his head so he can take a quick glance at his past occasionally. If one spends too much time looking back, the neck begins to hurt signifying it is high time one looked forward again. We are to learn from nature and focus more on our future not our past mistakes. To see, we only need one eye but God has given us two for a reason. With one eye, one has many blind spots but with two eyes, the blind spots become less.

Let us imagine for a moment that we have our ears at the back. Although we will able to hear what people are saying behind our back, we will also live an unhappy life. People who speak behind one’s back always have negative things to say and if one listens to too much of negative things, it might affect one’s heart. Negative reports leads to sickness. Proverbs 15:30 says the light of the eyes rejoiceth the hearth and a god report maketh the bones fat. Someone once said, God envisaged that some brothers and sisters would wear glasses so He gave us ears at the side so the glasses can sit on the ear. I do not know how true this is but it makes logical sense. God gave us two ears so we can detect the direction of sound. Our ears transmit sound waves to the brain, and having an ear on each side of the head makes it easier for us to determine where the sound is coming from. Having two ears allows you to understand where someone is if he is talking to you in a social setting, where construction is, or who is honking his horn. God gave us one mouth and a tongue because of the potential in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. With the tongue, one can start a war and with the tongue, one can put an end to war. James 1:19 says therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear; slow to speak, and slow to anger. The reason why God gave us two ears and one mouth is so that we can do more hearing than speaking. For us to be able to speak on a matter once, we must have heard from at least two sides. One of the ways to identify a mature Christian is that they listen more and talk less. The more one talks, the higher the chances of one offending God. Proverbs 10:19 saysin the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

Saturday, 28 June 2014

Each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 19- 21

BIBLE STUDY: 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

On the last day, we (all believers) will stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give accounts of our deeds. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says for we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that everyone one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. When I say ALL believers will stand before Christ, I mean ALL believers – founders, pastors, evangelists, intercessors, ushers, choirs, counsellors, members just name it. All of us will stand in a single file with our works and give accounts of how we lived our lives. On that day, there will be no secrets, the ‘works’ of every man will be revealed in the open! This is why Jesus said in Luke 12:2, there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

After everyone must have lined up, the angels will start to call names, Bro A please step forward with your ‘works’. Bro A will step forward with his ‘works’, the angels will pass it through the fire to test and critically appraise the character and worth of the ‘works’. If his ‘works’ are good, they will remain and Bro A will be presented with a reward or rewards as the case maybe, but if the fire consumes his ‘works’, he will get nothing, which means all his efforts on earth will be equal to zero. 1 Corinthians 3:13 says Each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. Another name will be called, maybe Sister C this time, she will step forward with her ‘works’ and the angels will pass it through fire. One of the things that will shock many is, some names will be called and the fellow will come out with his ‘works’ as big as a skyscraper. As the fellow is marching forward with his ‘works’, everyone will be clapping. Jesus will say don’t clap just yet, pass the ‘works’ through fire and we will see. By the time the angels pass the ‘works’ through fire, all that will be left could be an ordinary pin!

It is not the number of ‘works’ or the size of our ‘works’ but the quality of our ‘works’. One of the things that will determine the quality of our ‘works’ is the heart with which we do God’s works. Are our ‘works’ an eye service or a show off? Did we do them to please men? How did we do them? Did we build according to the pattern Jesus the Master builder gave? What pattern did Jesus give? According to 1 Corinthians 16:14, we are to do everything in love. We are to do every thing without grumbling (Philippians 2:14). We are to do our ‘works’ with diligence. 2 Peter 1:10 says wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail. Whilst doing God’s work, we are to practice what we preach. Romans 2:21 says thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Many of us pray a lot in the public, do we pray a lot in the secret? Is who we professed to be on the outside, who we are on the inside?

TO PONDER: What people see outside and what is inside us, do they conflict?

Friday, 27 June 2014

And he said, peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 1 Samuel 16:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 16-18

The children of Israel disobeyed God and He gave them into the hands of the Midianites (Judges 6). The Midianites were a wicked set of people. They would wait until the children of Israel had planted their crops and ruin everything they had planted. Not only that, they would destroy the sheep, cattles, donkeys and any living things they see. After they had left, the Amalekites would come and repeat the same exercise. After the Amalekites had gone, another set of people will continue where the Amalekites had stopped. This was what the children of Israel were going through, year in year out, for seven good years. After a while, the children of Israel repented and called on God for help. He answered and chose Gideon to lead an army against the Midianites and Co.

Gideon gathered 30,000 men and went to war against the enemy. Outwardly, these men appeared strong and courageous with their swords, axes, slings, etc. They exude confidence, anyone seeing them would think they anchored their trust in God, in the real sense they didn't. The Lord saw their hearts and told Gideon to announce that, anyone who is afraid should go home. The moment the announcement went out, 20,000 men returned home! Gideon was still recovering from the shock when the Lord spoke again and said, you have a lot of pretenders left, let’s test them. Only 300 passed and with the 300, the Lord secured victory for Gideon. 1 Samuel 14:6b says for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few. From this story, we see that the Lord neither needs a large number of people to fight a war nor does He need a crowd to carry out an assignment. All He needs is a few who have prepared their hearts before Him. All He needs is a few who will trust Him with their life.

When Samuel got to Jesse’s house, he told the old man, tell your sons to clean up themselves for sacrifice. 1 Samuel 16:5 says and he said, peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. These boys came to the sacrifice looking the part . As they stood before Samuel one by one, the Lord rejected them all. Samuel then asked Jesse, are these all your sons? The man replied, there is but one in the forest but he is not a king material. Well bring him here and let’s see what the Lord has to say about the boy, Samuel replied. They brought David and the Lord said, anoint him. Although the brothers of David had washed themselves, the Lord rejected them and picked a boy who had not washed in days. David may not have had his bath for days because he was tending the sheep, he had a pure heart. Outwardly, the brothers of David looked clean but inwardly they were dirty. From this story, we see that the Lord looks at a fellow’s heart not there appearance. It does not matter the number of times a fellow bathes, if he is dirty on the inside , he is dirty.

TO PONDER: If God where to look inside you and I, will He be happy with what He will see?

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

And Samuel said unto Jesse, are here all thy children? And he said, there remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither. 1 Samuel 16:11

AVAILABILITY, A CRITERIA?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 13-15

After Saul’s disobedience, God rejected him as king over Israel and chose David the son of Jesse. He told Samuel (the king maker), I am done with Saul, there is no point mourning over him. I want you to fill your horn with oil and go to Jesse’s house; I have chosen one of his sons as Saul’s replacement. When the old prophet got to Jesse’s house, he told him, bring out your sons because the Lord has chosen one of your lads to be the next king of Israel. Delighted Jesse lined up his seven sons before Samuel. The moment Samuel saw the first born, Eliab, he arose to anoint him because the young man ticked all the boxes. He was tall, handsome with a charming smile. As he took out the horn to anoint him, the Lord said to Samuel, I have rejected him! Outwardly he is good but inwardly he is terrible.

Many a times when God warns us against certain people, we find it hard to believe because these people appear perfect outwardly. They don’t smoke, drink, swear, fornicate, etc. By the time we get to 1 Samuel 17:28, we see the true Eliab. His father (Jesse) sent his younger brother (David) to bring food for him and his brothers. The moment he saw David, he didn't even ask about his welfare or his father’s welfare, he just began to scream and shout at this poor boy for no good reason. Eliab was charming outside but wicked and angry on the inside. Anyway the second born (Abinadab) passed before Samuel and he said “next”. They brought the third born (Shammah) and he said “next” again. The Lord rejected all of them. 1 Samuel 16:11 says And Samuel said unto Jesse, are here all thy children? And he said, there remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither.

They moment Samuel saw David, the Lord spoke and said, that’s the one, anoint him for Me as Saul’s replacement. David had prepared his heart before God. He had passion for God and the things of God. He had a personal relationship with God. He had endured a lot of pains; he had been attacked by bears, lions and other beasts in the field and conquered them. He had learnt how to cater for the helpless, the poor and the needy (sheep). From this story, we see that, the fact that a fellow is available does not mean God will use him. When we are appointing people into position, let us not choose those who are available but those whose heart are right before God. Eliab and his brothers were available but their hearts were not right before God. It is better to sing without anyone playing the instruments than to sing with people whose heart are not right with God, playing the drums, piano and other musical instruments. An instrumentalist whose heart is not right before God cannot lead people into God’s presence.

NOTE: It is better to use people who are unskilled whose heart are right before God than to use people who are skilled but whose heart are not right before God.

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 8-10

Baptism symbolizes one’s burial with Christ and resurrection with Him. The immersion symbolizes burial with Christ and emergence from water symbolizes resurrection. Romans 6:3-4 says know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. The bible requirements for baptism are simple. First of all, one must understand what baptism is and why he or she needs to be baptized. It impossible for one to say he or she is saved and yet does not know what salvation is. So also one must understand what baptism is before going for baptism. Secondly, one must have a saving relationship with Christ. Faith must precede baptism, in other words, one must be saved before going for baptism.

It is important to know that baptism does not save a person. It does not matter if you were baptized by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling – if you have not first trusted in Christ for salvation, baptism (no matter the method) is meaningless and useless. I once witnessed a boy who had just been baptized, chasing another boy with a broken bottle. That fellow was not baptized but bathed because he is not walking in the newness of life.

This brings us to the question, is Paedobaptism biblical? Paedobaptism is a big word which simply means infant baptism. There are no explicit instances of infant baptism in the entire bible. In the three “household baptism” mentioned (household of Lydia, Acts 16:15; household of the Philippian Jailer, Acts 16:30-33; household of Stephanus, 1 Corinthians 1:16) no mention is made of infants , and in the case of the Philippian Jailer, Luke says explicitly, “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house” ( Acts 16:32), implying that the household who were baptized could understand the Word. Baptism is an act done through faith. Colossians 2:12 says buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. What this means is that, how we were buried with Christ in baptism and how we were raised with him in baptism was through faith. Infants are not capable of this, and therefore infants are not fit subjects of baptism. They don’t know what baptism is , talk less of having faith. If you were baptized as an infant, why not prayerful consider this and go for proper baptism.

PRAYER POINT: Father, as Christ resurrected, let every good thing that has died in my life resurrect.

Sunday, 22 June 2014

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 3- 7

Recently I wrote a devotional about ‘lies’ and ‘shedding innocent blood’. After writing, I proofread it and corrected all the grammatical and spelling errors. I proofread it the second time and found no errors. As I proceeded to proofread for the third time before posting, I heard a voice in my spirit, which said, “go and shower and proofread again.” Meanwhile this was very early in the morning, I had just finished praying, and I wanted to get the writing out of the way before taking my shower. I obeyed and went to shower. When I returned to proofread again, I saw that I had put down ‘sharing innocent blood’ instead of ‘shedding innocent blood’. I changed it and posted the message. If I had disobeyed the Holy Spirit and proofread the third time before bathing, I would not have seen that error and this would have resulted in a big embarrassment. The Holy Spirit is our Guide. John 16:13 says howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Obeying the voice of the spirit saves one from of embarrassment. I cannot count the number of times I have burnt my food whilst preparing it because I delayed when prompted by the Holy Spirit to go and check what I was I was cooking. Thank God, I am wiser now.

A lot of mishaps, road accidents, problems, etc, could have been avoided, if only we obeyed the voice of the spirit. I heard how the Lord saved a brother during the September 11 (9/11) terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Whilst working on his computer, he heard “run”. He did not question the Holy Spirit; he just started making his way down the building. As he stepped out of the Twin Tower, the first jet struck. Another brother was with his daughter in the Twin Tower. The daughter requested for McDonalds snack, as he was about to tell his daughter to wait a bit, he heard the Holy Spirit telling me to take the girl to McDonald. He left what he was doing and quickly proceeded to the McDonalds nearby. Whilst there, He had that there was an attack on the Twin Tower. If the Spirit of God is leading you to do something or make a move, please do it as soon as possible because you do not know what might happen next. If He says stand, please stand up first before asking why. If He says sit, sit first before asking why. If He says, make a call; do not ask why before making the call. Two things that could hinder one from hearing the audible of voice of God are bitterness and disobedience. At times out of anger, you may want to say something, the moment you spirit says do not say it, just keep quiet. If you disobey and say it, the Holy Spirit will be grieved. If He continues to tell you not to do something and you keep doing it, He will stop speaking and that is not dangerous.

Friday, 20 June 2014

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Songs of Solomon 3 - 6

The reason why many of us are operating below our abilities is because we don’t like stress. Meanwhile, it is the stress in the catapult that pushes the stone forward. A lot are where they don’t want to be simply because they cannot endure discomfort. What is hindering many of us from making progress is because we don’t to leave our comfort zones. There maybe one or two reading this devotional who can’t endure hunger, a lot cannot fast from 12am to 3pm, yet they want to command mountains to move. There are some mountains that will not move except you fast. You can decree as much as you want, you can bind, loose, cast away, etc. Unless you fast, they will not move. When the disciples of Jesus asked Him why they were unsuccessful in casting out a demon, He told them: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21).” To pass an exam in flying color, one would need to subject himself to a bit of discomfort e.g. the fellow would need to read at night while everyone is sleeping.

To become who God has created you to be, you must be ready to endure pain. In John 15, Jesus told His disciples that for them to become fruitful, the Father needs to prune them. Pruning in Agricultural Science, basically involves the removal of a part of plant, bush or tree in other to improve it. There are one or two things we need to know about pruning. Firstly, pruning improves the health of the trees. When you remove the dead or dying branches, the plant put its energy into new growth instead of directing it to the dead branches. Secondly, it protects the branch structure. Each cut will stop the plants growth in one direction and redirect it in another, guiding the shape and size of the plant. Thirdly, it prevents the spread of disease. By removing dead or damaged branches will decrease the chance of disease entering through the dead wood and spreading throughout the plant. Fourthly, if done properly, it can improve the size and quantity of crop. Fifthly, it improves air circulation and allow light to reach inner and lower leaves. It is important to thin dense growth periodically to improve overall shape and health. Pruning is advantageous to the plant but it is painful and it involves a lot of cutting.

Just as advantageous, pruning is to the plant, so also is pruning to our lives. Pruning adds value to our lives. Once the unproductive parts of our life have been cut off, our value will increase. Pruning refines us. Pruning creates growth and causes us to bear more fruit. When the Lord prunes, it can be very feel very painful, merciless and at times wasteful. He trims away what is harmful and bad for us, especially bad habits and ways of doing things. Pruning will lead to change and an average man or women don’t like change. For you and I to be pruned, we must learn to endure discomfort and pain.

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

and I give unto them eternal l life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:28BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 8-11

Jesus said in John 10:28: “and I give unto them eternal l life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”. A lot have read this verse of the bible and interpreted it as once saved, always saved. They even take it a step further and claim that one doesn’t have to live holy since sin cannot bring a Christian to his or her spiritual death. Firstly, let’s take careful look at John 10:28 and its immediate context. John 10:27-29 says my sheep hear my voice, and I know THEM, and THEY FOLLOW me: And I give unto THEM eternal life; and THEY shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck THEM out of my hand. My Father, which gave THEM me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck THEM out of my Father's hand.

Take a note of the word "follow" in verse 27. It is a continuous tense in Greek and it describes Jesus’ sheep. The plural pronouns "they" and "them" in John 10:28 and 29 refer back to verse 27. Hence, the only ones promised the wonderful NEVER PERISH SECURITY in verses 28 and 29 are the ones who CONTINUE to FOLLOW Jesus, in other words, those who do not turn from the teachings of Christ to the right or to the left.

To enter heaven, HOLINESS is KEY! Hebrew 12:14 says follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Sin can bring a fellow to his spiritual death. Ezekiel 33:13 says when I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. James 1:15 says then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. The real truth is, after initial salvation a Christian is to make every effort to enter the Kingdom of God because many will not make enough effort to enter. Luke 13:24 says strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. This would include not sharing in sins of others but keeping oneself pure. 1 Timothy 5:22 says lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. It would include keeping oneself from idols ( 1 John 5:21) and from the spiritual pollutants of this world. James 1:27 says Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

PRAYER POINT: Matthew 10:22 says and ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Father, please help me to endure to the end

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 4-7

The turning of water to wine in Cana of Galilee has been a subject of debate in many Christian circles. Some are saying the wine was a non alcoholic wine, others are saying we are not sure; it could have been an alcoholic wine. I have heard some school of thought say, it was actually a fruit wine – grape wine to be precise. The bible did not tell us whether the wine was alcoholic or not and I don’t think, the author of the book of John intentionally kept that information from us to hide something. James 1:17 says every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Every gift Jesus gives is PERFECT and GOOD. If Jesus gives you a wine, you can be rest assured that the wine is not only good but perfect also. I post this question to you, is alcoholic wine good for your health? Is alcoholic beverage, perfect for your spiritual and physical growth?

Many of us have been deluded into thinking that FAITH alone can SAVE a man, we justify this with John 3:16 which says for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. A lot are easily swayed by this convenient formula of salvation, all you need is accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior and you are sure of heaven. One has only to believe in the Son of God to gain eternal life. Is that what the bible teaches? After you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, are you allowed to tell little white lies, purposely commit sin with the intention of asking for forgiveness later, etc?

Brethren, the bible do not sanction this belief neither can faith alone save man. James 2:14 says what doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? Faith would be useless if not coupled with works. We cannot claim to have surrendered all to Christ and still be keeping malice! FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS INSUFFICIENT. James 2:17 says even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. We cannot say we are saved and still accept bribes, abuse public offices or allow evil practices by pretending as if you don’t see it! Faith must be accompanied by works to make it perfect. Asides our faith, we need to do the will of God. Matthew 7:21 says not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. We need to accompany our faith with good deeds and obedience to the word of God. Philippians 4:15 says let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Everyone around us must know that we are different. No one has an excuse to misbehave! If you are struggling in one way or the other, ask the Lord to help you and He will help you. Heaven will cost you something, but it is worth it!

ACTION POINT: Pray that the Lord will help you today in your areas of weakness! Also determine from today to stand out for Christ!

Monday, 16 June 2014

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 31 – Ecclesiastes 3

The tradition of purgatory teaches that, upon death, many souls enter a spiritual realm between heaven and hell during which sins are dealt with until they are prepared for heaven. Purgatory is a place where sin is “purged” before a person can enter heaven. Furthermore this tradition encourages the living to do works on behalf of the dead in order to improve the situation of those in purgatory. It also encourages praying for the dead, indulgences, just to mention a few. Those who practice this tradition back it up with 1 Corinthians 3:15 which Say, if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yes so as by fire.

Firstly, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 uses an illustration of things going through fire as a description of believer’s works being judged. If our works are of good quality “gold, silver, costly stones,” they will pass through the fire unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them. If our works are of poor quality “wood, hay, and straw,” they will be consumed by the fire, and there will be no reward. The passage does not say that believers will pass through fire, but rather that a believer’s works pass through the fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15 refers to the believer “escaping through the flames,” not “being cleansed by the flames.”

Secondly, the bible speaks clearly of two options in the afterlife in Luke 16: 19-31 (the story of Lazarus and the rich man). When the wicked rich man died, he went straight to hell. When Lazarus died, he went straight to heaven. Jesus makes it clear that after life has two options, and that both heaven and hell are eternal. The end of the bible also makes clear God’s plan for the end of time. Revelations 20: 12 -15 says "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."Once again, only two choices exist, heaven or hell.

Lastly apostle Paul says in Hebrews 9:27, and as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. The doctrine of purgatory is not anywhere in the bible.

ACTION: Let us remember all those who are yet to give their lives to Christ in prayer, that the Lord will touch their hearts. Let us also remember all those whose hearts are broken, that the Lord will comfort them.

Sunday, 15 June 2014

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 24 - 30

Ephesians 1:18 says the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. In your prayer closet, please ask the Lord to enlighten the eyes of your understanding. When many of us have birthday celebrations, graduation ceremonies, child dedications, house warming, marriage ceremonies, wedding anniversaries, etc, we go to extra length to invite our friends and families. We give invitation cards to everyone we come across; we send texts , WhatsApp messages , Blackberry broadcasts but when it comes to the things of God i.e. special programs in church , church anniversaries, etc, we invite one or two people, this does not speak well of us. We are willing to invite everyone we know to our birthday parties but when it comes to God’s party, where people will have the opportunity to hear the undiluted word of God and give their lives to Christ, we invite two or three people, is that how much we love God?

A wise child sees to it, that his or her parent’s house is in order. He or she will clean and arrange it so that visitors won’t come in and find the house in a mess or untidy. Even if (S) he is married, (S) he will still put measures in place to ensure that his or her parent’s house is clean at all times. Some hire a house help to do the cleaning, others pay people to go and clean once or twice a week. It is the pride of every child that his or her parent’s house is neat, tidy and everything is running as it should be. A visitor on the other hand does not care about the tidiness or cleanliness of the house. Whether there is toilet roll in the toilet or not, is not his business. Whether the lawn is mowed or not, is not his prerogative. Whether the broken light bulb is replaced or not, is not his concern.

The same thing applies in the house of God. A visitor does not care about how the church is being maintained. Whether the church members are prayed for or not, is not his headache but a child in the house will be uncomfortable doing nothing in the church. She knows the church needs to be cleaned so she will join the sanctuary keeper; He knows the church needs intercessors who will be interceding for the church and the members so he will enroll as an intercessor; he knows the microphones, speakers and other church appliances cannot operate themselves so he will join the media team. Visitors come for the blessings, but the real children come to serve.

Saturday, 14 June 2014

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.1 Samuel 16:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 17 - 23

One of the most MISUNDERSTOOD portions of the bible is 1 Samuel 16:7a, it says for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. A lot of us have read this and interpreted it as, all that matters is the HEART not the OUTWARD appearance. Firstly, the bible did not say that God ignores the OUTWARD appearance and focuses on the HEART. He looks at both the HEART (1 Samuel 16:7) and the OUTWARD appearance. 1 Samuel 2:3 says talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. Secondly, what is inside will show outside. A lunatic is mad on the inside but it shows on the outside. How about demonic possession? The mad man of Gadara was mad on the inside, he had a legion demon residing in him and it showed on the outside (Mark 5:1-19). This man refused to live with humans; he chose the burial ground as his abode. He was so mad, no one could bind him. His problems were an internal one but it manifested on the outside.

Likewise when one is filled with the Spirit of God, it will show on the outside. Saul was an aggressive Pharisee; he hated Christ with a passion, he committed a lot of his followers to prison for doing nothing but the moment he received the Holy Spirit, the whole world knew, by what they saw on the outside. Paul (former Saul) became an incurable soul winner; he went out and told everyone who cared to listen about Christ. 1 Samuel 19:7 says But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. When the Lord said for man looketh on the outward appearance, what He was saying is that, man (man and woman) judges by what they can see. The reason is that, they can’t see the heart so they look for the things they can see. The only way, people around you will know whether you are lying or telling the truth about your salvation is by your OUTWARD appearance or what they can see e.g. the companies you keep, the way you talk, how you conduct yourself, your mode of dressing, etc. An unsaved fellow knows he is not saved but he expects to see proofs that you have really given your life to Christ. If he is not convinced that you are saved, maybe because of the way you dress or your conduct, that means the Lord cannot use you to witness to him. What are we contributing to Christ if our lives can’t bring people to Jesus?

NOTE: If you claim that you are saved and the world cannot see the change in you, then you have work on your hands.

Friday, 13 June 2014

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Matthew 17:27

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 14-16

When Jesus arrived at Capernaum with His disciples, those in charge of temple tax collection approached Peter and demanded for temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27). He reported the matter to Jesus, who then instructed Him to go and fish. Matthew 17:27 says notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Anyone who knows about fishing will tell you, an EMPTY hook will catch NOTHING. To catch a fish, one needs to BAIT his or her HOOK. A BAIT is not an ordinary fish food; it is food that LOOKS, SMELLS and TASTES as attractive as possible in order for the fish to want to eat in the first place. The fish have a lot of choice out there – somehow you have to make that choice easy for them. Today, your PRAYER REQUEST is a hook, to get an ANSWER from the heavens; you need to BAIT YOUR HOOK in other words you need to make your prayer requests as attractive as possible. How do I make my prayer request attractive to the heavens? Firstly, live a life of PURITY and HOLINESS. Isaiah 59:1-2 says behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. You can’t be disobeying God and expect Him to answer your prayers. If He does that, that will mean He is encouraging sin. Secondly, be HUMBLE and MEEK. Psalm 147:6 says the Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Many find it hard to apologize when they are wrong. One of the ways to identify a proud man is that he has DIFFICULTLY SAYING SORRY even he makes mistakes.

Thirdly, PAY your VOWS. Psalm 50:14 -15 says offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: and call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. There are many reading this devotional that are yet to pay the vows they made two years ago, there are some who are yet to redeem their pledges of 2010. Lastly, FORGIVE. Before you come to God with your prayer requests, ensure you have made peace with everyone. Matthew 5:7 says blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Psalm 18:25a sayswilt the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful. That brother has begged you, he has even invited people to beg you on his behalf, it is high time you showed mercy and forgive. That sister has apologized, it is high you forgave her!

Thursday, 12 June 2014

On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said what honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. Esther 6:1-3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 11-13

The story is told about an old man who uncovered the plot to assassinate a king. In Esther 2:21-23, Mordecai EXPOSED a plot by Bigthana and Teresh (two eunuchs) against the king. The traitors were hanged as they deserved, the name of Mordecai was recorded in the king’s secret book with a particular remark that Mordecai was the man who discovered the treason. One would have expected the king to reward Mordecai immediately but he didn’t. The king did not even recognize what he did at all; instead he promoted Haman (a wicked man) who hated Mordecai with passion.

There are many like Mordecai today, they have done a lot of good things, instead recognition they are faced with persecution. I want you to know that the God who kept Mordecai is still very much alive and He will protect you from your persecutors. Amen. They are a lot of ‘Mordecais’ in the body of Christ today, they have done and are still doing good things - they obeyed God, they evangelized, fasted, prayed, gave offerings, sow seeds , etc , who are yet to be rewarded for their good deeds. There a lot of brothers and sisters who have kept their bodies, they do not fornicate or indulge in any form of sexual immoralities, who are still single and the ones that are messing up themselves are getting married left, right and center. It can be depressing at times.

Mordecai’s efforts were forgotten and his labor seemed to have been in vain, but when his harvest season came, it took God just one night to change Mordecai’s story. Yes! You have prayed and fasted in your past years; you have served God in holiness and you have been faithful, I want to announce to you that your harvest hour has come and it will come as lightening (quick and sudden) this year. I pray in the name that is above every other name that your celebration will show up faster than your past years of delay!

PRAYER: Oh GOD who made the heaven and the earth, the One who can do all things, I pray that as this reader says amen, let his or her harvest season begin in Jesus name!

Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. Genesis 3: 1-2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 7-10

God loves family. He loves children dearly. The bible records that when the disciples forbade parents from bringing their children to Jesus, He told them; “suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:14)”. He loves mothers so much that He compared the way He comforts to the way mothers comfort their children. Isaiah 66:13 says as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. He loves fathers to the extent that He associates Himself with them. Psalm 68:5 says a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Because He loves marriage – the union of two people (man and woman) in holy matrimony, the the first institution He created was marriage. Adam and Eve had a perfect marriage. They were open to each other. They kept no secrets from each other. Genesis 2:25 says and they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. To Eve, Adam was perfect. To Adam, Eve was the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes on. They enjoyed the Garden of Eden (blessing of the Lord ) together. There was peace in their marriage, the bible did not record any account of Adam beating up Eve or Eve cursing Adam until Eve (the wife) started listening to the voice of a third party (serpent). Genesis 3:1-2 says now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.

Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and offered some to her husband which he ate. From that day, they began to have problems in their marriage. First of all, they realized that they were both naked , Adam no longer felt comfortable around his wife, Eve on the other hand started keeping things from her husband. That was how they both started keeping secrets from each other. Not only that, Adam began to see faults in Eve, before they knew it , the blame game started. When the Lord asked Adam if he had eaten of the forbidden fruit, instead answering yes or no, he blamed his wife. At the end, they were both banished from the Garden of Eden. In your marriage, watch out for third party influence. If your marriage is going to succeed, you need to cut out as much as third party influence as possible. As brides of Christ, if our relationship with Him is going to blossom and grow, we need to cut out third party influence i.e. voice of the devil. Any one encouraging you to compromise or do anything outside the bible is a third party and you need to cut them out or else it will cause you your relationship with Him.

ACTION: Let us remember those that are experiencing challenges in their marriages that the Prince of peace will declare peace in their marriages.

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach. Mark 3:14

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 4-6

The Lord initiated marriage to solve one problem and that is the problem of loneliness. Genesis 2:18 saysand the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Adam was lonely in the garden not alone. There is a big difference between being lonely and being alone. One can be in a crowd of people at a football match and still feel lonely. The primary reason why Jesus called His twelve disciples was for companionship. Mark 3:14 says and he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach. Their number one assignment was to be His companion, His friend, His brethren, His close associate, His confidant, etc. Their secondary assignment was to witness about Him.

There is a lot to benefit from being His companion. Firstly, in His presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11 says thou with shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Secondly, in His presence is 24 hours protection. Psalm 91:1 sayshe that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Someone once said peace is not the absence of conflict but the present of God. Thirdly, in His presence is provision. According to Psalms 23:1, when the Lord is your shepherd, all your needs and want will be taken care of.

The reasons why the Lord saved our souls can be summarized under two main heading – Companionship and Ministry. He saved you and I, so that we might be His companions and minister to Him. The disciples were sent out to preach after they had been His companion. Our personal relationship with God is more important than our ministries, this is what some of us seems to forget. A lot are busy impacting the world, doing a lot of good things, but they have neglected the prayer alter. The power to do exploit comes when you spend quality time on your knees with the Lord. Anyone who will succeed in ministry must always have time to praise and worship God. He must also dedicate time to study his bible and pray. The time many spend with God has reduced as a result of the promotion He gave to them. Many no longer fast as they used to fast before promotion, some barely have time to even study the bible because they have gained employment, a lot now come late to church because they are married, and so on.

NOTE: The bigger the promotion, the more time you will need in prayer to keep that promotion.

Monday, 9 June 2014

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Ephesians 5:12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 155-157

What is the definition of love? According to 1 John 4:8, God is love. The bible goes further to tell us about the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 , love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy , is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not arrogant; it is not rude, does not act unbecomingly. Love is not self – seeking; it takes not account of the evil done to it. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when righteousness and truth prevail and so on and so forth.

The bible then goes further again to tell us that love is showing mercy. One of the names of our Lord is Merciful and Gracious God (Exodus 34:6). A loving person shows mercy. If God is merciful, then love is showing mercy because God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is giving. John 3:16 says For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. A loving person is not stingy. Love is obedience to the word of God. John 14:15 says if you love me, keep my commandments. Many children claim they love their parents but they disobey them. Do you love your parents (spiritual and physical)? Many say honey I love you but they are not submissive to their heads (husbands). Love is sacrifice. John 15:13 says greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You claim to love your wife, what have you giving up for her? You claim to love your family, what you have sacrificed for them? You claim to love Christ, what are others holding on to that you have given up because of Christ?

Love is an internal thing. It is a thing of the heart. Love is a fruit of the regenerated human spirit. Galatians 5:22 saysBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,etc. Romans 5:5 says And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.You cannot truly love except you give your life to Christ. It is impossible to love without been born again because love is a fruit of the spirit and one cannot exhibit the fruit of the spirit without being genuinely saved. Love is soul winning. A loving person will be uncomfortable when he sees people going to hell. The love of Christ will compel him or her to share Christ with them.

QUESTION: The year is running to an end, how many souls have you led to Christ? When was the last time you invited someone to church? When was the last time you prayed and fasted for the unsaved people in your community? Many of us are asking to God to do this and do that, the Lord is asking us this morning, how many people have you shared Christ with?

Sunday, 8 June 2014

MEMORY VERSE: That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you, Leviticus 18:28

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2Kgs 2 , 2 Thes 2, Dan 6, Ps 48

BIBLE STUDY: Lev 18:24-30

The land of Canaan was once given to a group of nations. I believe the Lord gave the land to them out of mercy and love. When they defiled themselves and defiled the land, the Lord evicted them. In Jesus no position is guaranteed or secured. That is why we need to run away from sin. As far as we do not defile ourselves, our positions in the Lord are secured, our blessings are secured. Not only that, our advantage in Christ is secured.

From our bible study, the first thing we come to realize is that the land of Canaan evicted its previous occupants. I pray in the name that is above every other name that you will not be evicted from your land of Canaan in Jesus name, amen. It is disheartening, disappointing and shameful for a fellow to work very hard, engage in many battles before entering his promise land only to be evicted almost immediately. I pray that this shall not be your portion in Jesus name,amen. Friend, it is possible for a fellow to be evicted from his land of Canaan, that is why you and I need to be very careful. It is far harder to receive a blessing than to lose it. It can take years of fasting and fervent praying to get a blessing or particular gift of the spirit, if care is not taken one can lose the blessing or gift of the spirit through fornication. It takes only a few minutes to lose the blessing or the gift of the spirit if care is not taken. I pray for anyone who has lost a particular gift of the spirit or the other that the Lord will restore those gifts in the mighty name of Jesus name, amen.

In every blessing God gives to us, there is something inside it that is capable of ejecting us if we sin. The blessings God has given a fellow can turn against him if he offends the owner or the giver of the blessing. There is nothing as sad as been evicted. What makes it so sad is that the fellow might not get a second chance. It was God who appointed Saul as the king of Israel. When he defiled himself through disobedient, God replaced him with David; King Saul was evicted from the throne. You may not have been the first person to occupy that position or political office or post in the church of God. If you are not ready to meet God’s terms of residence, that post, political office will spit you out. I know you will do everything to meet God’s terms of residence so that senatorial seat will not spit you out.

ACTION POINT: To avoid eviction, investigate what led to the eviction of your predecessor or the people who have occupied that post before you and run from it. Some of the things that defile a man are bribery and corruption, favoritism and tribalism, fornication and adultery, pride and stubbornness etc.

Saturday, 7 June 2014

MEMORY VERSE: Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house, Matthew 12:29

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kgs 1, 2 Thes 1, Dan 5, Ps 46-47

In Matthew 12: 22 -29 they brought a demon possessed man who was blind and unable to speak to Jesus; a force stronger than him had possessed him and prevented him from making progress. Jesus healed him so that he could see and talk. Whilst everyone rejoiced with the family of the man who was healed, the Pharisee began to condemn Jesus. They said He performed miracles with the power of Beelzebub. When Jesus realized what they were thinking, He said to them, “every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed.” He then explained to them that it takes a strong man to put a fellow in bondage. It takes a stronger man to deliver the fellow from the strong man and it takes a stronger man to bind the strong man and spoil his house. Mark 12: 29 says or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.

Who is the strong man? The strong man referred to in this passage is the demon that possessed the man. Strong men are demons. The first thing you need to know about strong men is that they are invisible to our physical eyes. Although they are invisible, the havoc they wreck is visible. We see from our passage that although the demon responsible for the man’s challenge is invisible, the blindness and dumbness he caused are visible. Ephesians 6: 12 says for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The second thing you need to know about the strong men is that they are wicked and stubborn. They will not move unless they are moved with force. They have no emotion and the only language they understand is violence. Matthew 11:12 says from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

It is important that you know that the strong men are strong and only bow to the power of God. The strong men are everywhere and they operate at different levels. One needs the spirit of discernment to recognize their operation. They operate in our places of work, in our communities, our schools, just to name a few. This is why we all need to take our spiritual lives serious. This is the main reason why we cannot joke with bible studies, fasting and praying, living a life of holiness and so on. This is why we cannot continue to live in sin. This is why family altar in every family is mandatory. Any parent not taking his or her ward to Sunday school is depriving that ward of the opportunity to grow spiritually. Lastly to stop the activities of the strong men we need the power of God. To put an end to their activities in our homes, families etc, we need to be endued with power from on high. To stop the activities of the strong men on our roads, we need power! To recover what the enemies have stolen from us, we need power.